What to Expect – The Counselling Assessment

When meeting a counsellor for the first time, a common concern is not knowing what to expect. Let’s face it, deciding to have counselling can be daunting. Here we look at what happens at the counselling assessment.

The Counselling Assessment

The first meeting gives you a chance to meet with your counsellor and see if you feel able to work together. I explain a little about how I work. The counselling relationship is the biggest indicator of how well counselling will go, so it’s important to feel comfortable.

Note taking and Questions

Personally, I like to take notes during the assessment since there is so much background information. After the assessment I do not take notes during the session. The sort of questions asked may include:

What brings you to counselling?

Why now?

Have you had counselling before?

Are you currently on any medication?

It may seem like a lot of questions but it enables the counsellor to build up a picture of your current circumstances.

The Contract

This sounds formal, doesn’t it? But as counsellors we are bound by strict ethical guidelines. This means we need to be clear about how we work. A working agreement, it sets out what is involved and includes:

Session location and length

Confidentially

Boundaries

Cancellations

Record Keeping

Use of Supervision

By the End of the Session

Hopefully by the end of the session you will have an idea of what counselling involves and how it may help. Your counsellor will work with you to help you decide what you want to focus on and achieve. Having an assessment does not mean you are obliged to continue.